The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-11-17
THE A, B, c, OF AGRICULTURE.
NUMBER 2.

work in conformity with these laws,
instead of in opposition to them, In
other words, scientific training ; and
second more business ability in the
general management Of his affairs.
The farmer has generally believed
that an education would be valuable
to his o in preparing him for any
pursuit but farming, and at last he is
awakening to the fact, that a good
education may be of value to the young
nan who proposes to till the soil.
There is still, however, but little
confidence felt in the man who at
tempts to teach the application of the
sciences to farming, the opinion being
common, that he who is bred, reared,
lives and works on the farm must
know more of all that pertains to
farming, than ~ who is not a prac-
tical farmer.
If we carefully examine the work
ing of almost any branch Of manufac-
turing, of mining, Or any industry
other than growing crops, we will find
that the knowledge and skill of men
who are not practical manufacturers,
miners, or whatever the work may be,
men with scientific training in some
line which may have a bearing on the
pursuit, playing a very important
part.
The chemist, who has learned how
to separate and classify the several
elements contained IN a lump OF ore,
and who can tell what should be elm
mated or what need to be added to
make the desired kind and quality of
metal, is one Of the most responsible,
and often the highest paid workmen
in the work of mining and the reduc-
tons Of ores to metals; yet he is not a
practical miner, he may know but little
of the general management and de-
tails of the furnace.
Many instances might be given of
this general use and admitted value
of scientific knowledge, or as it is gen
orally termed, expert skill, in all pur-
suits but in farming. [ do not mean
to say that all farmers neglect and
discourage assistance which the special
Investigator may give, but the great
majority refuse this aid, while there is
a small minority in other pursuits who
r not constantly seeking it.
One reason for the willingness to
foster and support agricultural expert
ment stations, where trained men are
employed to study the unknown prob
lens are farming, that exists, is due to
the fact that there are a good many
men who claim to be scientific farm
ers, because they have a few ideas,
purely theoretical, which, when put in
practice make some show, but are
failures in practical results.
"Book farmers" is an appropriate
name for such men, but the "book
farmers" failure is no argument
against the application of real science
to farming, any more than the failure
of the quack doctor is an argument
against the study and practice of
medicine.
The scientific investigator in agri-
culture is looked upon as a crank
even the word scientific is a bugbear.
and supposed to mean something that
is OF no practical value. One of the
best definitions of science is given by
Gregory, who says: "The common
sense is nothing but unwritten science,
and science is only the common sense
of truth and fact reduced to writing."
Therefore, when we apply science to
farming, We simply attempt to make
use Of certain common sense truths
and facts, no matter who may have
discovered them, in such a way as to
be of practical value. Anything else
is not scientific.
When u schools of agriculture do
not teach common sense they have no
authority for claiming. to be scientific.
Suppose we plant a kernel of corn.
Our observation has taught us that it
may grow if the soil is warm enough,
and not too dry, and if the season is
favorable a stalk and ear will be pro-
duced. W. notice, however, that in
one field it may yield a large ear, L
another field only a "nubbin." We
explain this difference in result, by
saying that the soil where the large
a is grown is rich, while the land on
which the small a grows is poor.
We have learned that by applying
manure, we can make the poor soil
produce a large ear. This is simply a
matter of common sense, but in the
early times it took long years to dis
cover this fact, and he who stumbled